ARIZONA, USA — Tuition at Arizona's three largest universities will get even more expensive after the Board of Regents approved the proposed price increases Friday morning.
The board approved the tuition increases at the University of Arizona (UArizona), Arizona State University (ASU), and Northern Arizona University (NAU) over the next five years.
"Tuition and fees for Arizona’s public universities approved by the board today for the 2023-24 academic year demonstrate a commitment to keep increases low for Arizona students and families," a board representative said in a statement to 12News.
The tuition increases for 2023-24 included:
- UArizona - A 3% increase for undergraduate and graduate students
- ASU - A 3% increase for all resident students, a 5% increase for all non-resident students, and a 2% increase per credit hour for online students, among other price increases
- NAU - The university's Flagstaff campus will see a 3% increase for resident undergraduate students, and a 4% increase for resident graduate students
- NAU will also increase tuition at its statewide campuses to its Flagstaff campus pricing, resulting in a 38% increase4 for undergraduate students and a 8% increase for graduate students
"When it’s all said and done with tuition, and housing, it’s well over $20,000 a year," Monica Gellman said.
Gellman's eldest daughter will attend ASU in the fall. She said they started a savings account when their daughter had a social security number and put aside thousands.
"And we still may not have saved enough," Gellman said.
The news comes just weeks after undergraduate students gathered at the Arizona State Capitol demanding solutions to the already nationally above-average tuition costs.
“We are all students at public universities working multiple jobs, trying to make ends meet, facing life-long debt because of the way our schools are engineered,” said Emma Burns of the Arizona Students Association, an activist group representing students at Arizona’s public higher education institutions.
The Gellman family plans to adjust to the costs and do what they can to pay for their kids' college.
"In the end, you really try to prioritize your kid, and you find places to scrimp and save," Gellman said.
This is a developing story. Tune in to 12News for the latest information.
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